TEHRAN -- A team of Iranian filmmakers who were making a documentary in Ivory Coast have been beaten up by a group of local people.

The team, who were making a two-episode doc about Muslims living in Ivory Coast, were suddenly attacked and hit by local inhabitants whilst they were filming.
As a result of the assault all the filmmaking equipment was totally destroyed.
Members of the Ivory Coast police force were present at the time of the assault but failed to intervene. The police eventually removed the assailants from the scene of the crime.
Ivory Coast’s ambassador to Iran had previously visited Sahar Channel of IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) and requested that Iran produce a documentary about the country.
The documentary, directed by Payam Parsa, was being produced in order to familiarize viewers with Ivory Coast, explain how Islam had been introduced to the country, and clarify the negative role of French colonialism in that region.